Coupling or splice for trolley-wires.



G. W. ROBINSON & M. E. HARDING; COUPLING 0R SPLICE FOR TROLLEY WIRES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 12. 1914.

Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

v 1411211 on Q/vi-hq e so as THE NORRIS PETERS co PHOTG-LITHO.,wAFHiNGroM u c WNITED sans PATENT ornron GEORGE W. ROBINSON, OFBALTIMORE, AND MILTON E. HARDING, ODENTON,

MARYLAND. I

COUPLING OR SPLICE FOR TBOLLEY-WIRES.

Specification of Letters Fatent.

Patented Mar. 16,1915.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, GEORGE WV. ROBIN- son and MILTON E. HARDING,citizens of the United States, residing at Baltimore, Maryland, andOdenton, in the county of Anne Arundel and State of Maryland,respectively, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCoupling or Splice for Trolley-Wires, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in a splice or coupling fortrolley wires.

The object of the invention is to provide a coupling in which there willbe a smooth under-run for the trolley, and one wherein a trolley wire isnot exposed to the trolley underneath the coupling.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the coupling that thebroken ends of the trolley wire may be fed through it in a substantiallystraight line, thus avoiding the sharp bends or curves which aredisastrous to the wire, on account of its comparatively delicatecondition near the point of breakage.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the coupling that theraw edges of its clamping ends will be at the top of the wire, thusavoiding the pitting and deterioration of the coupling near its ends, asis the case with couplings now in use.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a very simple andeliicient means for locking the ends of the wire in the coupling wherethey are bent above the sleeves of the coupling, the means consisting ofa peculiarly constructed wedge adapted to have portions wedged beneaththe ends of the wires by a downward pressure brought about by suitablemeans.

It is well known that where there is a rough under-run in the couplingfrom any cause whatever, bouncing of the trolley occurs. This results insparking which anneals or softens the wire and also the couplingadjacent to the uneven surfaces. In couplings in common use, the wear onthe edges of the clamping ends of the coupling is at the bottom and thewire and lower raw edges of the clamping ends are exposed to thetrolley, so that when the trolley engages the end of the coupling, thereis a bounce and another or others, when the trolley runs off the exposedwire adjacent to the ends of the coupling. In a short time, this pitswedge being omitted.

and serrates and wears away the coupling,

adjacent to its ends, further exposing the wire and increasing theuneven surfaces which produces additional and greater sparking withconsequent more rapid deterioration of the wire and coupling. Inordinary couplings there is a marked additional disadvantage in that theboss used for attachment of the coupling to the supporting wire incatenary work, extends so high that it interferes with feeding the wirestraight in to the coupling ends, thus making it necessary to bend thewire to avoid the boss, which bending tends to weaken or break thealready comparatively delicate or softened ends of the wire.

We completely overcome the practical objections above indicated andprovide a coupling wherein there is a straight under-run with noexposure of the wire at its under side of the coupling, there being aperfectly smooth surface beneath the clamping ends, thus avoidingserrating or burning away and preventing injury to the wire, which, inour construction, is completely protected by the under surface of the(3011-- pling adjacent its ends. The tubular ends of the coupling arearranged upon a very gradual angle, so that in feeding or drawing thebroken ends of the wire through the coupling, it will be pulled uponsuch a gradual curve, that chance of breaking is reduced to a minimum,the wire remaining in condition where it can be bent over the upper endsof the sleeves of the coupling without danger of breaking.

From the following description, the above and other advantages of theconstruction will at once become obvious to those skilled in the art.

In the drawingsFigure 1 is a perspective view of a coupling or splice,constructed in accordance with our invention, showing the wires held inthe coupling preparatory to being positively secured therein by ouradditional wedging or clamping means, the

wedge and bolt for operating it being in junta-position to the coupling.Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the coupling, the Fig. 3 is abroken vertical sectional view of so much of the coupling as isnecessary to show the clamping wedge in final position, there beingshown in this view, a hanger-rod usually employed in supporting thecoupling in catenary work. Fig. a is a transverse central sectional viewof the splice; and Fig. 5 is a view of the extreme end of the couplingshowing the sides of the trough in normal position, or in positionbefore it is bent or folded over the wire.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the coupling, thetubular ends of which are formed with troughs 2 and sleeves 3 to receivethe ends of the wire, which is fed through the sleeves in the usualmanner, after the slack in the wire has been taken up with the usualblocks, the lower ends of the sleeves being open as indicated at 4:, andthe upper ends open as indicated at 4t.

The upper sides of the sleeves are somewhat higher than the centralportion 5 of the hanger at which portion we provide a boss 6 whichextends substantially throughout the width of the web 7 of the coupling.Each sleeve may be provided with a boss 8, for the reception of theusual clamp screw 9 which is adapted, in connection with the clampingends of the coupling, the bending of the wires at their ends, and thewedging device which is preferably employed, to hold the ends of thewires firmly in the coupling. The lower edge of the coupling is providedwith a bead 10, which, together with the bottoms of the troughs 2, formsa substantially straight under surface for the coupler. The ends of thetrough are tapered off, so as to run gradually on to the under sides ofthe wire 11, so as to reduce the tendency of the bouncing of the trolleyto a minimum. The troughs 2 are provided with slits 13 adjacent to thesleeves 3, which enables their upper edges to be bent or folded over thewire.

The boss 6 is provided with a socket 12 for the reception of thethreaded portion 1 1 of a short headed bolt 15 which co-acts with awedge plate 16 formed with a fiat central portion 17 having an aperture18 therein and tapered wedge-members 19 normally arranged at aconsiderable angle to the Hat part 17. The wedge portions 19 extend intothe top of the coupling under the bent ends 20 of the wire, and when thebolt 15 is screwed down in the socket in the boss 6, it will force theends 19 beneath the wire ends wedging the same firmly against thesleeves. By reason of the tapering formation of the upper openings 4: ofthe sleeves 3, and the tapering formation of the wedge portions 19,there will be a tendency of the ends 19 after they have engaged theunder portions of the wires, to bow or lift up, thereby forcing the endsof the wires more firmly against the upper sides of the sleeves.

In Fig. 3 the wedge member 19 is the same' as that shown in Fig. 1, butin this figure we have substituted for the bolt 15, a hanger-rod 21adapted for use in catenary work, to which is added a flange or head 22which may be round, square or hexagonal, as

may be desired, its purpose being the same as that of the head of thebolt 15, that is to say, to be forced down upon the central portion ofthe wedge member to cause the wedg ends 19 to be extended beneath thebent ends 20 of the wire.

In making the splice, it being understood that the sides of the trough 2are nor, ially straight or approximately so, so that the wires may belet in from the top, the ends of the ire are run through the sleeves 3after being drawn together by the usual blocks. The set screws 9 arethen ti htened {in cases where set screws are used) ant. tae ends thewire are bent to the position shown i Figs. 1, 2 and 8. The bolt 15 isthen sci-ewe down until iLS head forces the wedge end, 19 sufficientlyunder the bent ends of the wire. The end of the coupling is then tiltedupwardly to bring the wire into one of the troughs 2, when the edges ofthe trough are bent or folded over it. The opposite end of the coupleris then tilted upwardly i the same purpose, when'the coupling or sp iceis then complete.

Of course it will be obvious that the operations in coupling which wehave just described need not necessarily take place in the ordermentioned, as this will naturally depend upon the particular. notion orfancy of the lineman making the repair, and it will also be obvious thatwe need not necessarily employ set screws 9, for the fact of gripping orclamping the wire in the troughs, bending its ends over the sleeves andclamping them, with the clamping wedge, will make a strong positive, andpermanent coupling, but the set screws we prefer to use, as merelyfacilitating some of the coupling operations in some cases.

It will be noted that when the wire clamped in the ends of the coupling,the wire will be brought at the point of entrance to the troughssubstantially on a line with the head 10, producing a smooth under-run.

Having thus described our said invention, what we claim is 1. A wirecoupling comprising a member formed with a substantially straight underside, and a trough at each end normally open at the top, and inclinedsleeves adja cent to said troughs and forming substantially acontinuation thereof, said sleeves being open at their upper ends andprovided with clamping screws to assist in holding the ends of the wire,the upper edges of the troughs being adapted to be bent or folded overthe Wire. I

2. A wire coupling comprising a body having a substantially straightunder side, and provided at its top with inclined sleeves open at bothends and troughs at the ends with open upper sides to receive the wire,there being slits in the sides of the trough adjacent to the lower endsof the sleeves,

LII

whereby the bending of the upper edges of the trough over the end of thewire is facilitated, and means for holding the ends of the wire in thesleeve.

3. A wire coupling comprising a member having a straight under side, anda straight upper central portion, and inclined sleeves open at bothends, the upper ends opening into the straight central portion of thememher, a boss in the straight portion of said member and below the openupper ends of said sleeves, a trough at each end of the member with openupper sides to receive the wire, the upper edges of said troughs beingadapted to be bent or folded over the wire, and clamp screws carried bythe sleeves for holding the ends of the wire therein.

4. A coupling of the kind described, comprising a member having asubstantially straight under surface, a flat central portion, a sleeveon each side of said fiat portion, and opening into said portion, a bossin the central portion of the member, terminating at its upper end belowthe openings in the upper ends of the sleeves, a trough at each end ofthe member having slits in its sides adjacent to the lower open ends ofthe sleeves, the upper edges of the trough being adapted to bend or foldover the wire, and clamp screws carried by the sleeves for holding theends of the wire in said sleeves.

5. In combination with a coupling of the kind described, having sleevesfor the passage of the ends of the wire, of a clamping device havingportions adapted to be simultaneously projected between the ends of thewire and the sleeves, to clamp said wire against the sleeves.

6. In combination with a coupling of the kind described, having sleevesfor the passage of the ends of the wire, a clamping device havingoppositely extending wedge members adapted to be simultaneouslyprojected into the sleeves between the wire and the sleeves, to hold thewire in place and means for simultaneously forcing the wedge members tosuch position.

7. In combination with a coupling having sleeves for the reception ofthe ends of thewire, said sleeves being open at their upper ends, and athreaded socket between said open ends, of a wedge clamping memberprovided with oppositely extending wedge ends and a central aperture,and a headed bolt passing through said aperture into the said socket,whereby, when the bolt is moved downwardly, the wedge ends of thewedgeing member will be simultaneously projected between the wire andthe sleeves, for the purpose set forth.

8. In combination with a coupling of the kind described, having sleevesfor the reception of the ends of the wire, said sleeves being open attheir upper ends, a threaded socket between said open ends, of a wedgeclamping device comprising a central flat portion and two oppositelyextending tapering wedge ends, said member being provided with anaperture, a headedbolt adapted to pass through said aperture and intothe socket between the sleeve ends, whereby, when said head is drawndownward upon the wedge member, the wedge ends will be simultaneouslyprojected between the Wire and the sleeves to securely lock the same inplace.

9. A wire coupling comprising a body having a substantially straightunder side and provided at its top with inclined sleeves, open at bothends and inclined troughs at the ends with open upper sides to receivethe wire, the sides of the troughs being adapted to be bent over thewire and when so bent, to form substantial sleeves, whereby thewire fromthe-points of entrance of the wires to the upper ends of the sleeves,will be supported upon a gradual incline.

In testimony whereof we afix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

GEORGE W. ROBINSON. MILTON E. HARDING.

Witnesses:

JAMES L. CRAWFORD, TITIAN W. JoHNsoN.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of'l'atents.

Washington, D. 0.

continuations of the

